Career and Education Opportunities for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics in Los Angeles, California

There are many career and education opportunities for mobile heavy equipment mechanics in the Los Angeles, California area. About 13,100 people are currently employed as mobile heavy equipment mechanics in California. By 2016, this is expected to grow 18% to about 15,500 people employed. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for mobile heavy equipment mechanics are expected to grow by about 8.7%. In general, mobile heavy equipment mechanics diagnose, adjust, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and surface mining.

Mobile heavy equipment mechanics earn approximately $25 hourly or $53,520 annually on average in California. Nationally they average about $20 per hour or $42,820 annually. Incomes for mobile heavy equipment mechanics are better than in the overall category of Heavy Transport Equipment in California, and better than the overall Heavy Transport Equipment category nationally.

There are 274 schools of higher education in the Los Angeles area, including three within twenty-five miles of Los Angeles where you can get a degree to start your career as a mobile heavy equipment mechanic. Given that the most common education level for mobile heavy equipment mechanics is a post-secondary certificate, you can expect to spend a short time training to become a mobile heavy equipment mechanic if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, mobile heavy equipment mechanics diagnose, adjust, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and surface mining.

Mobile heavy equipment mechanics repair and remove damaged or worn parts. They also repair and troubleshoot electrical systems. Equally important, mobile heavy equipment mechanics have to overhaul and test equipment to insure operating efficiency. They are often called upon to clean and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment and vehicles. They are expected to operate and inspect heavy apparatus to diagnose defects. Finally, mobile heavy equipment mechanics research, order, and maintain parts inventories for services and fixes.

Every day, mobile heavy equipment mechanics are expected to be able to twist and stretch their arms and legs to get work done. They need to maintain precise control of objects and devices through a range of movements. It is also important that they coordinate both hands in a single activity.

It is important for mobile heavy equipment mechanics to adjust and maintain industrial machinery, using control and regulating devices. They are often called upon to schedule maintenance for industrial apparatus and equipment, and keep equipment service records. Somewhat less frequently, mobile heavy equipment mechanics are also expected to direct staff who are assembling or disassembling equipment or cleaning parts.

Mobile heavy equipment mechanics sometimes are asked to test mechanical products and equipment after repair or assembly to insure proper performance and adherence to manufacturers' specifications. and diagnose faults or malfunctions to establish required fixes, using engine diagnostic equipment such as computerized test equipment and calibration devices. And finally, they sometimes have to repair and troubleshoot electrical systems.

Like many other jobs, mobile heavy equipment mechanics must be thorough and dependable and be reliable.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic Training

Santiago Canyon College - Orange, CA

Santiago Canyon College, 8045 E Chapman, Orange, CA 92869-4512. Santiago Canyon College is a large college located in Orange, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 13,086 students. Santiago Canyon College has an associate's degree and a two to four year program in Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician.

Santa Ana College - Santa Ana, CA

Santa Ana College, 1530 W. 17th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92706-3398. Santa Ana College is a large college located in Santa Ana, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 26,464 students. Santa Ana College has less than one year, one to two year, associate's degree, and two to four year programs in Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology/Technician which graduated one, two, one, and zero students respectively in 2008.

Mt San Antonio College - Walnut, CA

Mt San Antonio College, 1100 N Grand Ave, Walnut, CA 91789-1399. Mt San Antonio College is a large college located in Walnut, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 30,439 students. Mt San Antonio College has an associate's degree and a two to four year program in Agricultural Mechanics & Equipment/Machine Technology.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California photo by Diliff

Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles County, California. It has a population of over 3,833,995, which has grown by 3.8% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Los Angeles, 166, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Los Angeles are valued at $361,500 on average, which is far greater than the state average. In 2008, seven hundred twelve new homes were built in Los Angeles, down from 1,551 the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Los Angeles are health care, educational services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is construction, accommodation and food services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. The average travel time to work is about 30 minutes. More than 25.5% of Los Angeles residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 9.1%, is lower than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Los Angeles is 13.9%, which is greater than California's average of 12.3%.

The percentage of Los Angeles residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 58.1%, is more than both the national and state average. All Peoples Christian Church, All Saints Episcopal Church and All Saints Roman Catholic Church are some of the churches located in Los Angeles. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the LDS (Mormon) Church.

Los Angeles is home to the Balboa Municipal Golf Course and the Angels Flight Railway as well as Hazard Park and State Street Recreation Center. Shopping centers in the area include Encino Junior Shopping Center, Encino Oaks Shopping Center and Encino Town Center Shopping Center. Visitors to Los Angeles can choose from Best Western Mid-Wilshire Plaza, Best Western Westwood Pacific and Alma Lodge for temporary stays in the area.